Miller, Stahl among area representatives who met with White House officials

WASHINGTON - Commissioners from dozens of Ohio counties, including Sandusky and Ottawa counties, met with officials at the White House in an effort to build better relationships with President Donald Trump's administration.

Although Commissioner Scott Miller from Sandusky County and Mark Stahl from Ottawa County did not meet Trump while in Washington on Tuesday, the two said they had several productive meetings and provided insight to the president's administration on changes needed to help ailing local governments.

Trump traveled to Texas that day to see the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Miller said 17 speakers from various cabinets in the Trump administration spoke to the commissioners in an attempt to open lines of communication between local government and leadership in Washington D.C.

"I think the overlying message from our meetings is that they want to build a better relationship with state and local government," Miller said. "There may have been barriers, or perceived barriers, that local government can't come to Washington, but I think this administration's message was 'our doors are open.'"

Miller said each cabinet speaker allowed for questions after their presentations in hopes of better understanding the needs of local governments.

In Miller's and Stahl's case, the health of Lake Erie and clean drinking water was among the chief concerns.

"We have 1,300 square miles of watershed in our county, so clean drinking water and the cleanliness of Lake Erie are very important to Sandusky and Ottawa County," Miller said.

Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue address a room of county commissioners from Ohio.(Photo: Scott Miller)

One concern that remained constant among the 66 counties represented from Ohio, according to Miller, was the rising costs of children's services.

Miller, Stahl and other commissioners from Ohio listened to the cabinet speakers in the west wing of the White house, though Trump did not attend.

"I got the sense that he would have been there, but he was in Texas on Tuesday," Miller said. "There were people taking notes and they seemed interested in what we had to say."

The opiate crisis has broken many families apart, with children being removed from homes and placed into other family homes or foster homes. The process has forced counties to pay thousands each month for the children's care.

"It's not just a problem in Sandusky County," Miller said. "It is all over Ohio, and that was something that was discussed."

Another benefit from attending the meeting, Miller said, was to meet commissioners from around the state to further build contacts with local leaders.

"I think it's important to build a rapport, especially with neighbor counties, because we work with many of them on projects," Miller said.